Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-08-12

1 SV0AA
nor foot-traveler!
What better could she do than seek the
ruined house? Aye, could she hope to
reach that?
AS she bounded across the grass-grown
yard she felt the eutstretched hand of her
pursuer touch her flying hair! But il
slipped through his grasp, and with an
agonizing cry she reached the stops, his
hot lrenth tanning her cheek.
She barely reached the hall to close the
door, which had stood ajar for years, as
his foot gained the threshold.
Her almost superhuman effort hurled
the dilai idated door from its rust eaten
hinges, when it fell at the feet of her pur-
suer a shattered wreck.
A portion Of its frame struck the mad
man upon the side Of the head, for the
time stunning him.
She was given opportunity to cross an
adjoining apartment before he recovered
sufficiently to follow.
AS she passed swiftly oyer the floor she
felt it trenlble beneath her weight, but sho
safely reached the rext room, which was
smaller and from which she cav at II
glance there was no place of exit save
fiom the door through which she had en-
| tered!
There had been a window, but it had
been long since boarded over. To retreat
was to rush into the arms of her pursuer,
whose wild cries rang in her ears again.
Her heart sunk within her as she realized
how hopelessly she was entrarped.
The door was but q shattered frame
which hung upon one hinge, so that ii
could afford her no protection. However,
she showed wonderful sel!-rcssession as
she cried out in a clear, ringing tone:
"Hold, Mr.. Mitchell! Why do you pur.
sue me?'
He was just entering the adjoining room,
and stopped abruptly at the sound of her
voice.
"What d, YOU mean by this conduct,
Mr.. N1itchell?" she continued, with calm.
ness that surprised herself.
och, Allie! Aliie!" lie cried, care YOU
afraid Of me that you flee thus?"
She realized that her only hope was in
concilinting him. Fortunately for her
purpose the rnllor of her countenance
was not clearly seen by him in
the eemi-dar!sness; equally fortunate for
her, too, was it that she could not see the
fearful distortions of his haggard visase,
else she should not have acted her part
SO calmly.
"No. no, Lang" she replied, mot afraid
of you. But your appearance was so sud-
den and you seemed angeled with me.
What have 1 done"
"Come. quick, Allie!" he imp,ored; "Ey
with me! They are after us!" and he
glared around him like wild beast at bay.
"No one is after US, Lang. You are le,-
ting your reason get the better of you.
Even my folks do not know am here"
Her words were not without their effect.
He appeared calmer, and his voice lost
something of its harshness az he said:
"You will 20 with me, Allie?"
"Where do you want me to go, Lang?"
@Anywhere to escape them! Comet"
"You may go ahead, Lang. I will fol-
low soon."
| But he was not to be deceived so easily.
mo, no, Allie. You do not love me or
you would fly with me at once. But you
shall!" and he started forward.
Eyes, yes; will go, Lang, only wait o
moment. must rest, am so tired"
@And will sit beside you, darling. If 1
can only be with you, do not care for
Them"
She uttered wild, piercing scream as he
started toward her, his distorted visage
cleaning with tiendish look of triumph.
He was barely midway upon the floor.
however, when the rotten timbers gave
away with a crash and the mad man went
down into the cellar covered with the
debris.
As his gAqstly face disappeared Allie
sank against the wall, weak from the fear
full strain upon her nerves.
The mailman lay motionless amid the
ruins. He was struck by one of the fall
ing timbers, it was afterwa1d found.
Finding he did not move Allie looked
around for an avenue of escape. There
was none except by the window, and she
turned TO tear off the boards, when the
sound of footsteps arrested her attention.
A moment later her lover, Frank Lane,
appeared upon the scene, attracted by her
cries as he was coming up the road to meet
her.
ooh, Frank" she said, save mel" and
sank to the floor in swoon the next mo.
ment.
He soon reached her side, when, bearing
her to the open air, she revived, and they
started for her home.
A party of men were quickly aroused to
undertake the capture of the mailman. 1t
was easily done, for he lay pinned under
one of the floor timbers. His injuries
proved fatal, and it seemed better that his
unhappy existenc had ended.
It was long time before Allie could
pass the site of the ruined house without a
shudder, and she never forgot her fearful
adventure.
PRESENT FOR THE TWELFTH CHILD.
Some years ago wealthy citizen of
Bahrenfeld, in the duchy of Holstein,
promised worthy married man of that
town that he would give house to the
mans twelfth child, if he should have
thot ,,,oOv Tn 11,,o %;,,o NJ 10 -.